


Don't take it out on me, cariño

by Cadoan



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Fix-It, Friends With Benefits, Friends With Benefits To Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Jackie Welles Lives, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:09:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadoan/pseuds/Cadoan
Summary: They weren't fucking ready for the major leagues. They were out of their fucking depths with this shit. V wished he could turn back time to when he had heard about this fucking job and refuse it on the spot.(Fix-it fic, Jackie lives!)
Relationships: Male V/Jackie Welles, V/Jackie Welles
Comments: 17
Kudos: 81





	1. Cariño

**Author's Note:**

> This is a followup to my fic Adrenaline, but reading that one isn't required at all since it's just smut, but it lays some groundwork for what relationship Jackie and V have in this story.
> 
> You can read Adrenaline here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29271516

"We'll get out of this alive."

The elevator was dark, only the emergency lighting from above illuminating them in a soft, eerie, blue glow.

"Don't worry V, we'll get out of this alive." Jackie's breath was laboured, and V could hear how he was struggling to breathe. That wasn't good. It shouldn't be like that right after you've shot yourself full with MaxDoc.

The butt of the shotgun he V had taken from one of the guards dug into his shoulder.

"Why?! Cause you fucking say so? You gonna will it into existance?!"

V's stomach was in a knot, panic slowly starting to dig its cold claws into him. They weren't fucking ready for the major leagues. They were out of their fucking depths with this shit. V wished he could turn back time to when he had heard about this fucking job and refuse it on the spot. 

Jackie just frowned at V, clutching his middle. A large, red patch was blooming out in the front of the previously white, crisp dress shirt he was wearing.

"Hey, don't take it out on me, cariño. I can see the way the chips're falling."

V nodded, drew in a deep breath. Jackie was right. He closed the distance between them, putting his hand on the side of Jackie's face. "I'm sorry. You're right. Let's get the fuck out of here."

Jackie smiled weakly. Then, the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open with a soft ding.

/

When they had managed to shoot their way through the lobby, they stumbled into the elevator down to the garage. Jackie leaned heavily against the elevator wall, a sardonic smile of his face.

"Argh... I'm leakin a little..."

V looked down at Jackie's hands, which were both dark red with his own blood. You could barely see that his shirt had once been white.

_No, no, no..._

V slid up to Jackie's side and lifted his arm, coaxing it over his shoulders.

"I'll get us to the car. Lean on me."

Jackie laughed at that, a weak little laugh.

"I always do chico, I always do."

The doors opened and Delamain's voice came through.

"I'd advise you to not wait any longer before getting into the vehicle."

Arasaka soldiers swarmed towards them, but V hauled Jackie towards the Delamain as fast as he could, bullets flying past them.

/

When V climbed back into the Delamain after having shot down the Arasaka drone following them, he turned to Jackie to shout excitedly. The words turned to ash in his mouth when he saw the state Jackie was in, however. Jackie was leaning back in the seat, pale as a ghost, one arm limp at his side, the other draped over his middle. V immediately reached over and started unbuttoning Jackie's shit, trying to get a look at the wound, trying to do anything, to stop the bleeding.

"Jackie, hang on! Don't you fucking dare-!"

The buttons were too slick, he couldn't manage to open them, his fingers slipping.

"Booster shot?!" he screamed at Delamain, who swerved sharply around a corner. Jacke gave a pained groan. 

"Under the seat in front of you," Delamain answered in his monotone voice. V reached in under the seat in front of him, staining the leather anywhere he put his fingers. The very metallic smell of blood suddenly hit his nostrils, and V felt queasy. He finally managed to get ahold of a MaxDoc and pulled it out. When he turned to Jackie, he was was smiling at V.

"See? Told ya... we'd make it..."

V snapped off the cap to the booster. "Here Jackie, take this in the meantime, I'll get you to Vik's place!"

He vaguely heard Delamain talking in the background but it was drowned out, only background noise. V shoot the booster into Jackie's leg and then immediately discarded it onto the floor, reaching over to place his hand in top of Jackie's.

"Get us to a fucking ripperdoc! NOW!" he screamed at Delamain.

"I'm sorry, I'm not at liberty to alter my pre-arranged-" the AI started to say, but V wouldn't have it. Incredible rage welled up inside him Rage at this fucking situation, at this fucking job, and at the fucking corpos making their lives fucking miserable.

"Fuck your liberty! Do as I say and get us to Bradbury and Buran!"

Delamain didn't argue further, but instead just continued driving.

V turned his attention back to Jackie, who's head had lulled slightly to the side, his eyes closed. Blood had started to come out of his nose and the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, hey, Jackie, stay awake for me, okay? We will be at Vik's any minute now-"

Jackie's eyes fluttered open.

"You're gonna be rich, mijo. I just know it..."

V cradled Jackie's face in his hands. He shook his own head in denial.

"No, no, Jackie, _we're_ going to be rich!"

"The... biochip..." Jackie reached up behind his ear and pulled out the biochip. "Hold onto it... for me..." He reached up and slotted it into V's nanoport before he fell back against the seat.

/

Delamain came to a screeching halt right outside of Misty's shop, the front for Vik's ripperdoc clinic. V scrambled out of the car dragged and hurried around to the other side. He tore open the other passenger door and dragged the barely conscious Jackie out of the car, draping his arm around his shoulders and half carrying, half dragging him towards the door of the shop. Once he was inside of the shop, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I need help!"

Misty, who was standing at the counter and doing something with her tarot cards, perked up as the door to her shop opened. When she saw V and Jackie, and the state they were in, she gave a shocked little shout and ran over to them.

"What happened?!"

V shook his head, starting to drag Jackie towards the back of the shop, towards the entrance to Vik's clinic.

"Jackie's been shot! Just get Vik!"

Misty stood frozen for a moment before she ran ahead of V and Jackie to warn Vik.

"Don't you fucking dare die on me, Jackie," V muttered as he pulled Jackie outside and down the stairs towards the clinic. Jackie groaned, seemingly floating in and out of consciousness.

Vik met them right at the foot of the stairs, a serious look on his face.

"Misty told me-" he interrupted himself when he saw Jackie. "Fuck, what happened here?" Vik walked backwards back into the clinic, and V dragged Jackie over to the chair.

"He's been shot, he's bleeding out," V gritted out as he hauled Jackie into the chair. Vik was suddenly next to V, a small knife in his hand. Misty was somewhere over to the side, in V's peripheral. Vik cut open Jackie's shirt and peeled back the wet fabric exposing a nasty looking gunshot wound in Jackie's lower abdomen. V instinctively moved to grab Jackie's hand.

"Give me some space, let me work."

Reluctantly, V let go of Jackie's hand and took a step back, watching Vik pull out an array of different tools.

"I'll go close up shop," Misty said and hurried upstairs.

V staggered over to Vik's chair and sat down heavily. He lifted his hands to rub over his face, but stopped himself when he realised how they were caked in dried blood. He bit back a scream.

"All that Arasaka on the feeds. That you two?"

V looked up at Vik. "Yeah. No. Fuck, I don't know." V's head was spinning.

Vik didn't respond, just continued working on Jackie, his mouth pressed into a thin line. V didn't know what to do with himself, so he walked over to the sink and washed his hands thouroughly. Then, he walked over to Jackie and Vik, careful to not get in Vik's way. He made sure to only look at Jackie's face and not the operation that was going on just a few feet away. V stroked his hand over Jackie's cheek.

"You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay." He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince himself or Jackie. He continued stroking Jackie's cheek, brushing his thumb over one of his eyebrows.

"Is he going to make it?" V asked Vik without taking his eyes off Jackie's face.

Vik gave a small grunt. "Doin' my best." They fell silent for a while, the only sound the metal clanking of Vik taking out shrapnel and dropping it onto a tray.

Eventually, Vik broke the silence with a question. "So... Misty know about you two?"

V looked away from Jackie for a moment, at Vik's face. Vik's gaze was steadily trained on Jackie's abdomen.

"I... I don't know." V looked back at Jackie, his chest aching. "It's complicated."

Vik hummed non-committally in response.

"Hey Jackie, I have to get going," V said to Jackie, hoping that he somewhere could hear him. "Gonna go get us those eddies, and then we'll be rich, okay?"

Not caring that Vik was there to see him, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Jackie's mouth. Then, he pulled back and took a step back. Then, he walked out of Vik's clinic to deliver the biochip.


	2. Querido

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, I slipped and wrote a shit ton of words...

Several weeks later, V entered El Coyote Cojo bar. When V stepped inside, he was struck by an intense sense of nostalgia. The amount of times him and Jackie had gotten way too drunk and made grand plans about the future were more than he could count. The right corner of V’s mouth quirked upwards in a half smile. It all felt like a life time ago, even though it actually was just a little over a month since the last time.

V took a few steps into the bar. It was empty, of course, this being in the middle of the day and way before opening hours. The doors to El Coyote Cojo stood open anyways - anyone from Heywood knew the opening hours, and they wouldn’t just waltz into the establishment the way V did now.

“It’s closed. Come back later.”

A voice was heard from behind the bar. V took a few steps forward, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets.

“I thought a visit was way overdue.”

Mama Welles turned around to look at the out of line patron. She was polishing a drinking glass with with a small towel. When she saw that it was V that had just walked into her bar, her eyes went wide.

“V? Is that you?”

She put the glass and towel down onto the bar and hurried over to the end. She rounded it and approached V, disbelief in her face.

“Hey Mama Welles,” V said as she stopped right in front of him. She put her hands on V’s shoulder and held him at arms length, looking him up and down as if to see if he was actually real.

“¡Gracias a Dio! We have been so worried!”

“I’m sorry, I’ve been... preoccupied,” he managed to say. Mama shook her head and pulled him in for a tight hug.

“It’s okay. You’re here now, that is all that matters.”

V hugged her back. He looked around the large room, heart in his throat as he kept a look out for the person he was actually here for.

“Is Jackie..?”

Mama Welles pulled back and let go of V. There was a sincere look of gratitude in her face.

“Thank you for saving my Jaquito.”

V smiled at her. “Is he here?”

She nodded and made a motion towards the back door.

“He’s in the garage.” V gave a nod of thanks and started heading towards the back door, but was stopped by Mama Welles taking ahold of his hand and squeezing it.

“He will be so happy to see you.”

There was something in her eyes that V couldn’t really place, but he squeezed her hand back. She let go of V’s hand, and V continued heading for the back door.

/

V’s heart was beating fast as he walked down the back alley towards the garage he knew Jackie called his own little home. He could see that the garage door was open, and music from a radio could be heard playing inside.

Once V had stepped in front of the opening into the garage, he saw Jackie. Jackie was facing away from him, hunched down by his motorcycle, seemingly deep into his work. He was wearing a white tank top that showed off exactly how muscular he was, and his usual grey pants.

V let his gaze slide over Jackie’s back, over his broad shoulders and strong biceps, trying to drink it all in. A wave of relief suddenly washed over him, and he had to momentarily close his eyes. Jackie had survived.

The sudden sharp, metallic sound of Jackie dropping a tool on the ground brought V back to reality.

“Shit!” V watched as Jackie swore and picked up the tool from the ground. V smiled to himself before finally speaking.

“Hey.”

Jackie threw up a hand in the air as greeting without looking away from his bike.

“What’s up, amigo?”

V didn’t say anything in response, just watched Jackie work a bit longer before Jackie seemed to come to a sudden realisation. He stood up and turned around, eyes wide and staring at V.

“V..?”

His arms had dropped down to his sides, and he looked at V with pure disbelief in his eyes.

“Hey, Jackie.”

He lifted a hand in greeting, but Jackie was already moving. With two long strides he had crossed the distance between them and wrapped both his large arms around V’s smaller frame, pulling him in for a tight hug.

V lifted his hands and fisted the back of Jackie’s tank top, breathing in the scent of him. He smelled just like he used to - like motor oil, metal and cologne.

“Mierda cabrón, you save my life and then you disappear into thin fucking air?”

Jackie let go of V and took half a step backwards. V reluctantly let go as well. All he really wanted to for Jackie to never let him go. V lifted his hand and rubbed it over his face, suddenly so exhausted.

“It’s a long story...” he said with a sigh.

Jackie nodded. “I’ve got all the time in the world, mijo.”

Jackie reached out and squeezed V’s shoulder. He smiled widely at V. A warm feeling started spreading throughout V’s limbs.

“Fuck, I can’t believe you’re actually here.”

He let go of V again and moved past him. V followed him with his with gaze when Jack reached up and took ahold of the bottom of the garage door.

“You go ahead, I’ll just lock up here.”

V went ahead and walked through the door that he knew led to Jackie’s little hideout. Once he stepped inside of the small room, he was once again overwhelmed by this strange sense of nostalgia. It looked just like it used to - leather sofa that barely fit the two of them next to each other, a bed at the far wall, a small fridge that V knew was mostly filled with beer. He heard the familiar sound of the garage door slamming into the ground. V moved to sit down in the sofa, leaving the right side for Jackie. He made himself busy looking at the posters on the wall, and after a minute or two later Jackie appeared in the doorway.

“You want a beer?” he asked, already heading towards the fridge.

V nodded. “Yeah, would be awesome,” he answered truthfully.

V watched Jackie’s back as he opened the fridge and then leaned down to get two beers. Jackie opened them and turned around. There was an excited, almost giddy energy to Jackie when he walked over to the sofa and sat down. He spread his legs wide, knocking his and V's knees together. He helt out the beer towards V, who accepted it. It was cold in his hand. Jackie settled into the sofa and half turned towards V, attentative.

"Tell me everything."

/

Jackie's eyes had gone as wide and round as plates when V finished his story about dying, being revived by the biochip, and now having Johnny Silverhand living rent free in his head. Jackie lifted his beer from where he was holding it against his knee to his lips, taking a long swig. Then he wiped his mouth with the inside of his arm before letting out a long breath.

“Maldita sea, V... So what, he’s like a voice in your head?” Jackie made a motion with his other arm towards his head before letting it fall down and rest on the backrest of the sofa, fingertips just barely brushing V's shoulder.

V sunk further back into the sofa cushions, so that Jackie's fingers were now firmly pressed against his shoulder. V have a little half shrug, making a neutral sound as he did.

"Not exactly... it's hard to explain." V sighed and looked down at the empty beer bottle in his hand, turning it over to pick at the label. Jackie gave a soft sound, grabbing V's attention.

"It's okay, V. No pressure."

Jackie's hand had moved just slightly, so that his the top of his fingers were now touching the side of V's neck. A shiver shot through V. His mouth suddenly went dry when Jackie leaned forward and placed his empty bottle on the table, and in the motion of settling back into the sofa, pressed the length of his thick thigh right up against V's.

V was almost afraid to look Jackie in the eye, afraid of what he might do if what he was feeling right now would be reflected in Jackie's eyes. Then, Jackie's hand landed softly on his thigh, and he couldn't help himself any longer. He let go of the beer bottle, turned towards Jackie, and surged forward.

Jackie gave a small sound of surprise as V wrapped his arms around his neck. Then, when their lips met, the sound turned into something needy.

V kissed Jackie like his life depended on it, shoving his tongue past his lips to find Jackie's eager tongue meeting it. They both groaned into the kiss, the sound of two men finally giving in to something they had been fighting for very long. They eventually broke the kiss as it was getting hard to breathe, and Jackie started to press a line of kisses down V's jaw, and then down his neck. V tried to get his spinning head to stop, tried to gather his rushing thoughts, tried to calm his rushing pulse. Jackie's hand had just started to slide up his thigh when he finally managed to get his mouth working.

"Jackie-"

Jackie hummed into V's skin, an inquisitive sound, pressing another kiss into the side of his neck. V pushed at the hazy fog of lust that was wrapping itself around his brain, tried to form a sentence. Eventually, he managed to stammer out some words.

“Wait- what about Misty?”

V didn’t even know why he asked about her. Whatever Jackie and her had going on had never been an issue to him before, during all those times that they fooled around during missions. In V’s mind, that had been its own thing. Perhaps it was the fact that this _wasn’t_ a mission was what made this feel different. Like... this was real life, and just not a way to get rid of excess adrenaline.

Jackie recoiled as if he had been slapped, his hand freezing on V's thigh. He had a look of equal amounts of confusion and hurt on his face, and V instantly regretted his words, wishing he could rewind time and just stop himself from saying anything. The previous moment was completely gone, and V suddenly got acutely aware of all the places him and Jackie were touching.

“Shit- I’m, I'm sorry Jackie, I should’t have-” he stammered, trying to come up with some way to make the situation any less horrible than it currently was. He wasn't actually sure what he was apologizing for. For bringing up Misty? For disappearing? For showing up?

V made a motion to stand, and Jackie removed his hand from V's thigh. Jackie shifted back into how he had been sitting before the kiss. He was quiet, just looking at V with that look on his face. The warm, excited energy from before was gone, replaced by something closed off.

V wanted nothing more than to get out of the situation.

“I’m sorry Jackie, maybe I shouldn’t have come-” V took a step towards the door, but Jackie’s hand closing around his wrist stopped him. V turned back to look first at Jackie’s hand, and then his face. He had a serious, sincere look on his face.

“We broke up.”

V’s thoughts ground to a halt, and all he managed was a lame “Oh.”

Jackie let go of V’s wrist, letting his hand fall into his lap. He looked off to the side.

“I... I was pretty torn up when I came to and you weren’t there, V.” He shook his head lightly before looking back at V. “And then you were just gone, nowhere to be found. I went to your apartment, couldn’t find you.”

Jackie sucked in a shaky breath, collecting himself. “It’s been a rough few weeks.”

V took a step back towards Jackie, almost on instinct, and before he knew it, he had reached out to put his hand on Jackie’s cheek. He brushed his thumb lightly over Jackie’s cheekbone.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, and this time at least he knew what he was apologising for.

Jackie reached out for V and pulled him in towards him, burying his face in V’s shirt.

“ _Fuck_ , V, I thought you were fucking gone. Muerto.”

V moved his hands to the side of Jackie’s neck, ghosting his fingers over tendon and muscle. Jackie let out a long, shuddering breath and lifted his face to look at V. V leaned down and pressed their lips together in a soft kiss, and Jackie’s arms tightened around his waist. V moved his hands downwards, resting them on Jackie’s shoulders for a moment before he pushed gently forward. Jackie understood and obliged, letting go of V and allowing himself to be pushed back into the sofa. V followed, moving to straddle Jackie’s legs. Jackie let his head fall back to rest against the backrest, looking up at V with dark eyes as V let his hands brush over Jackie’s skin. He slid his fingers over lightly freckled skin, following the dips of Jackie’s muscles.

His thoughts were growing fuzzy around the edges with the knowledge that Jackie was here, in the flesh, warm blooded and alive, under him.

“I was scared shitless I’d left you to die on Vik’s table,” V said softly as he let his fingers move over the gold chains hanging around Jackie’s neck, and then further down over Jackie’s large pectorals. Jackie had moved his hands to slide up V’s thighs again, dragging over the fabric of his jeans, up to his waist. V could feel one large hand slide up under his t-shirt, and he relished the touch, goosebumps spreading across his skin.

V snapped his gaze back up to meet Jackie’s eyes, which had grown heavy lidded. They looked at each other for a long moment, before V leaned in close and claimed Jackie’s lips in another kiss. It started out slow and exploratory, and V felt his blood coursing through his veins. He could also feel himself growing hard, swelling and straining against the confines of his pants.

He angled Jackie’s face upwards so he could get better access, and Jackie obliged. The kiss was turning more heated, more needy, and then V felt Jackie’s hand against his bulge. V gave a small needy sound and rolled his hips forwards, wanted more touch, more pressure. V dropped one hand down from resting on the side of Jackie’s neck down to his crotch, deliberately stroking over the bulge at the front of Jackie’s pants. Jackie gave a small groan, and V decided that he didn’t want layers of clothing between them anymore. Dropping down his other hand as well, he started working on the buttons at the front of Jackie’s pants. Jackie caught on quickly and started doing the same, getting to work on V’s zipper.

The kiss went slanted and off kilter as they tried to get into each other’s pants, but it didn’t matter. V managed to unbutton Jackie’s pants first, slipping his hand inside the hem of his underwear to wrap his fingers around Jackie’s cock. Jackie wasn’t far behind however, reaching in to pull out V’s erection.

“Let me...” Jackie mumbled into the kiss, and before V understood what he was talking about, he felt Jackie peeling his hand away from Jackie’s erection. He was about to protest, but the sound died in his throat when he instead felt Jackie’s larger cock press against his, and Jackie’s hand wrap around the both of them.

“Fu-uck..!” he swore softly and jerked his hips forwards, thrusting against Jackie.

Jackie groaned and tightened the hold he had on the both of them, bucking his hips upwards to meet V’s thrusts.

They fell into a rhythm of sliding against each other, Jackie’s hand creating just enough pressure and friction for them to slowly but steadily chase towards release. They breathed each other’s air, lips as close as possible without touching.

“Jackie..” V said, almost like a prayer, as he rolled his hips once more.

“Ah, mi querido...” Jackie breathed, and the term of endearment wrapped itself tight around V’s heart. His hips had started to stutter a bit, and his blood was surging in his ears. He wouldn’t be able to last much longer. Jackie’s movements had also started to become more erratic.

A few more strokes, and V couldn’t hold on any longer. He sucked Jackie’s tongue into his mouth and came hard, twitching in Jackie’s grip and shooting his release in between them. Jackie followed soon after, moaning into the kiss as he came.


	3. Mijo

They slowly came back to reality, their racing hearts slowing down and the fog of lust giving way to a sort of slow, post-orgasm lull.

Jackie groaned when he gently let go of their cocks, and V hissed in a breath. Jackie looked at his hand, covered in streaks of come, and then looked around for something to wipe it off on. When he didn't find anything nearby, he instead just shrugged his shoulders and wiped himself off on the front of his shirt.

V forced his limbs to move so he could climb off Jackie, sitting back down in the sofa.

”You hungry? I’m starving.”

V just finished tucking himself into his pants and pulling up his zipper. “Yeah, I could go for a bite.”

Jackie beamed at him. “Awesome!" He stood and tucked himself into his pants, buttoning up his pants. He looked down at his top and frowned. "Gotta change that."

V watched Jackie and he walked over to the side of the room. Jackie pulled the tank top over his head, exposing the broad expanse of his back. V's felt a little surge of lust go through him at the suddenness of exposed skin and muscle. Jackie reached for a t-shirt hanging over the back of a nearby chair. He turned sideways to look at V, allowing V to clearly see the large intricate Japanese dragon tattoo that curled over his hip, up his waist and then up his back.

" I found this new little place, does the most amazing pad thai.”

V wasn't really focusing on what Jackie was saying, instead paying full attention to Jackie pulling the t-shirt over his head pulling it down over his upper body. It was dark grey and suited him like a second skin.

"V? That sounds good?"

V was suddenly brought back to reality, his eyes snappning up to look Jackie in the eye. "Huh? Yeah, that sounds great." He really had no idea what he had said yes to.

/

Some 10 minutes later, the were standing right outside the garage, next to Jackie’s motorcycle. Jackie swung one leg over and straddled it. Then, he turned and looked at V.

“Get on and let’s go, mijo.”

V smiled a little to himself as he walked up to the bike and swung his leg over it as well, straddling it and settling in behind Jackie. Jackie almost immediately reached back and took a gentle grip on one of V's hands.

"Hold on tight." He pulled V's arm forward, indicating for V to wrap his arms around Jackie's middle. V did as instructed, wrapping his arms tightly around Jackie, not being able to help the fluttering of his heart. "Bueno," Jackie said, but didn't let go of his gentle hold on V's hand for a long moment. Then, he eventually, but seemingly reluctantly, he let go and put both his hands on the handles of the bike. Then, they glid smoothly out of the little back alley and started heading into town.

A calm feeling came over V as they cruised down the streets to wherever they were heading. He rested his cheek against the broad expanse of Jackie's back and closed his eyes, just enjoying the moment. No Arasaka, no biochip, no Johnny. Just Jackie, him, and the road.

It wasn't too long however, until the journey came to its end by Jackie slowing down and coming to a complete halt. Very reluctantly, V let go of Jackie and climbed off the bike. They had made their way across Heywood and ended up close to the city centre. Jackie had parked his bike off to the side, and he was currently pointing down an alley.

"Just down there." Jackie walked up to V and wrapped his arm around V's shoulder, pulling him with. "You're not gonna be disappointed."

The alley, that from the street looked like any other alley, turned out to be a lively alley with hole-in-the-wall take away places on one side, and the other curb filled with small tables and chairs for people to eat their food. Most of the tables were taken. Jackie stopped in the middle of the street and brought his face in close.

"Find us somewhere to sit and I'll get us some chow." He removed his arm from V's shoulders and disappeared a bit further into the alley. V walked him for a while, making his way throught he people moving up and down the alley, his size making him stand out quite a bit in the crowd. Eventually, even Jackie disappeared out of sight, and V focused on finding a free table. He spotted one a few tables over, a small round table with two chairs. He claimed it by sitting down in one of the chairs, watching the people stand in line to the closest take away: a mexican-japanese fusion one, judging from the menu.

"There you are, V!"

Jackie appeared from the crowd with a smile on his face, holding one styrofoam food container in each hand, branded with a colorful logo of an anthropomorphic cashew nut wearing cowboy hat. He placed one of the containers in front of V, and then reached into his back pocket, pulling of a pair of one time use chopsticks. He held them out to V, who took them. Then, Jackie sat down opposite V and put his own container of food down on the table between them. He flipped the lid of the container and leaned in, drawing in a deep breath through his nose.

"Best pad thai in Night City!"

V smiled and opened his own container. It did smell, and look, delicious.

They ate whilst talking, Jackie emoting wildly as he spoke. It almost felt like they had gone back in time, to before the Konpeki Plaza job, before the biochip, back to when they had just met and were just starting to make a name for themselves on the streets of Night City. A sudden pang of sadness struck V, and it must have shower on his face, because Jackie's eyebrows knitted together in a concerned look

“You okay?” He reached out to gently brush his hand over V’s where it lay on the table. That drew V’s attention alright, a warm feeling momentarily settling in his chest and chasing most of the sadness away.

“Yeah, sorry I... I think so.” He ran his fingers through his hair, wild on top of his head, before shaking his head lightly. "It's been a lot, these past few weeks. With the... chip and all." He made a small, sweeping motion towards his temple.

Jackie hummed, shuffling some more noodles into his mouth and chewing slowly, as if he was mulling something over.

Suddenly, Johnny waltzed into view, appearing from just out of view to the left of V.

"So this is the guy that's got your panties in a bunch," Johnny said as he walked up to Jackie and V, stopping right next to their table. He pushed his aviators up onto his head, placed his hands on the table and leaned in close to Jackie, inspecting him closely. He gave an impressed whistle. "Big guy. Good for you." He straightened back up and looked at V. "Or, good for us, I suppose." His right eyebrow quirked upwards in a knowing look. V felt his cheeks heat up a bit. He suddenly remembered that Johnny had said that he felt whatever sensations V felt, which would have meant that even if he wasn't actually fronting there earlier in Jackie's little hideout, he would've still been aware on some level of what happened . V moved his gaze back and forth between Jackie and Johnny a few times, before finally settling back on Jackie.

"So... if he's not a voice in your head, what is he?" Jackie asked V, a concerned, and somewhat confused, look on his face.

V decided to try to explain best he could. "Johnny's not really a voice in my head, it's more like... I can see him, and hear him. It's like he's actually next to me, sometimes." He poked around a bit in his food as he spoke.

Jackie put down his chopsticks and placed his elbows on the table, leaning forward, towards V.

"So... he's some sort of... hallucination? Virus?"

Johnny scoffed at that, crossing his arms across his chest. "He might have a cock to die for, but he sure is dumb as a rock."

V scowled at Johnny, who put his arms up in an apologetic gesture. "Hey, no harm, no foul. I just didn't peg you as someone that'd be himbos."

"Oh shut up," V muttered under his breath at Johnny. Jackie must have heard it, because he looked in the same direction V was looking, but obviously didn't see anything. He looked back at V, the confusion now clear on his face.

"He didn't appreciate being called a virus." Johnny wandered off, now standing over by one of the food places and reading the menu.

"He's here now?” Jackie’a voice was almost a whisper, as if they were talking about a secret no one else couldn’t find out about. Which, in a way, V supposed was true.

V nodded. "Yeah, over there standing in line.” V indicated in in the direction of Johnny, who was minding his own business.

Jackie leaned back in his chair. “You see him all the time?” V could practically see the cogs in Jackie’s head turning.

V shook his head.

“No. He sort of... comes and goes.” He looked over to Johnny again, who was still hanging out over by the line of people. Almost as if he was trying to give V and Jackie some privacy.

Jackie was quiet for a long while, opening and closing his mouth at a few points as if he was going to say something, but then changed his mind.

“Don’t worry,” V eventually said. “I’m also having a hard time wrapping my head around it.”

There was a long silence when they both just focused on their food, both of them processing the conversation they had just had in their own way.

Eventually V spoke up, trying to talk about something else.

“Vik did a good job patching you up, obviously.”

Jackie’s lips spread into a wide smile, seemingly relieved about the change of subject.

“Yeah!” He straightened in his chair and patted his stomach proudly. “The cabrón who shot me turned my insides to scrambled eggs. Got a new cybernetic liver, stomach lining, kidneys - you name it. Even got the scars to prove it!”

V cocked his eyebrow.

“Why’d you keep the scar?”

Jackie’s smile turned into a grin.

“Because it’s badass!”

Suddenly, Johnny glitched into reality right next to Jackie. He was looking at Jackie with a somewhat impressed facial impression. Then, he pointed at Jackie and turned towards V.

“Okay, I’m starting to see why you’re into him.”

V rolled his eyes at Johnny, and Jackie gave him a bit of a confused look.

“He likes you,” V explained, and Jackie nodded.

“That’s not what I said!” Johnny protested. V ignored him.

“Good!” Jackie said. “If he’s gonna keep sticking around, we need to get along.”

V couldn’t help the little flutter of his heart as he thought about the implications behind Jackie’s statement.

Johnny made a disgusted sound. “Eurgh, you’re like a lovesick puppy,” he said and turned around to walk away from the table, flickering out of existence as he did.


	4. Chapter 4

After they finished eating, they made their way back to Jackie’s bike. Once again, V took a seat behind Jackie and wrapped his arms around his middle.

The ride to Megabuilding H10 was way too short. When Jackie rolled to a stop outside of the building, V reluctantly let go and climbed off the bike. He took a step off the curb and turned to look at Jackie, who parked his bike but didn’t get off. He rested his elbow on his thigh and looked at V. It was as if neither of them wanted to separate, but neither of them knew really what to say either.

V eventually lifted his hand and scratched his jaw with the nail of his thumb in a nervous gesture.

“Thank you for the food?” he said, half a statement, half a question. He wasn’t really sure why he was thanking Jackie, because they had bought food for each other countless times before. This time felt... different, somehow.

Jackie lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. He momentarily looked away from V.

“Don’t mention it.” He looked back at V. “I... I wanted to do this properly, I guess.”

V’s stomach fluttered.

“Do what properly?” He didn’t know what to do with his hands, so he shoved them into his pockets. He smiled awkwardly. “Take me out on a date?” he said, half as a joke.

Jackie, however, nodded. “Yeah. You know, I wanna do it right from the start.”

V thought he was joking at first, but the sincere look on his face and the seriousness in his voice made V understand that he wasn’t. The fact that they had already fucked each other’s brains out on several occasions, and that they had jerked each other off in Jackie’s sofa earlier during the day didn’t seem to matter at all. V’s face softened into a smile.

“I had a good time.”

Jackie smiled widely at V.

“Me too, mijo.”

Jackie reached forward and took ahold of the handlebars of the bike. “So... talk soon, yeah?”

V nodded in response. “Yeah.”

Jackie give a firm nod and revved the engine. Then he drove off. V watched him disappear into traffic before turning around and started heading up towards his apartment. His steps felt lighter than normal.

/

Once inside his apartment, V suddenly felt very alone. He walked over to the window and looked out over the city. It hard started to get dark outside and the bright colours of the advertisement on the buildings was starting to cast their neon light over the streets below. He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, knitting his eyebrows together.

He hadn’t really had a plan heading to Jackie’s that day. He just had known he couldn’t wait any longer. And now... well, he’d gotten something else than laid, which he hadn’t expected. It felt... nice, he couldn’t even lie to himself about that. Still, it didn’t really feel fair. Like he was promising Jackie something he literally might not be able to live up to.

V let out a heavy sigh and leaned his forehead against the window. The heavy duty glass was cool against his forehead.

“Hey, when you’re done being in your feelings about that choom, get over here. I have an idea.”

V turned his head to the right. Johnny was lying on his back in the sofa, hand behind his head and looking up in the ceiling.

V looked back out the window for a moment before he used his hands to push off the wall. Then he turned towards Johnny and took the few steps needed to cross the distance to the sofa.

“Okay. What’s this great idea if yours?”

Johnny swung his legs over the edge of the sofa and sat up.

“I know who we can ask for help with the biochip.”

“Who?”

“Rogue.”

V cocked an eyebrow.

“Rogue? _Queen of Afterlife_ Rogue?”

“The very same.”

“I thought she hated your guts.”

Johnny shrugged. “Why’d you think that?”

“I’ve seen your memories. You weren’t exactly... lovey dovey.”

Johnny leaned back in the sofa, stretched his arms out and rested them on top the backrest.

“Doesn’t matter.” Johnny suddenly smiled widely, and V was sure he’d never seen Johnny actually give a genuine smile before. “She has a weak spot for me. She’ll help us in whatever way she can.”

V crossed his arms over his chest.

“And how do you suggest I convince her about this? ‘Hey, remember your buddy Silverhand? Well, I’ve got this split personality thing going on, and he’s the other one.’ Don’t really see that going over well.”

Johnny did a finger gun at V. “No.” He let his hand fall down again. “Let me take over for a while. I’ll talk to her.”

V’s first instinct was to refuse.

“Not gonna happen.”

Johnny didn’t seem fazed, as if he had expected the response. “I’ll take good care of the body. Promise.”

V mulled it over for a moment. The corners of his mouth pulled downwards in a slight frown. He was silent for a long while, weighing pros and cons. Johnny started to whistle to himself, his foot bouncing with the tune.

“Okay,” V eventually said, drawing Johnny’s attention. “Okay, okay, let’s do it. When?”

Johnny leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees.

“Tomorrow evening. Could even bring the big choomba along.”

“His name’s Jackie, and you know that.”

“Jackie, yeah.” Johnny flickered out of sight before he appeared next to V. “Nice guy.”

The corner of V’s mouth quirked upwards. “You do like him.”

Johnny rolled his eyes. “Fucking impossible to dislike him with the way he makes you feel.” Johnny indicated at his chest with a sweeping gesture. “Making me feel all mushy inside.”

V laughed at Johnny’s disgusted facial expression.

/

V called Jackie the next day, asking him to come meet V outside. When V arrived come evening, Jackie was already there waiting for him.

“Hey V!” He raised his hand in greeting when he saw V approaching.

They walked inside and got themselves a small corner booth. Both of them just about fit, but they were pressed up tight against each other. The music in the club were loud, so they had to lean in close to be able to hear each other.

“What’re we doing here tonight?” Jackie asked, arm wrapped around V’s shoulders to allow for him to speak directly into V’s ear.

V looked over the space of the bar, at Rogue’s own private booth.

“Talk to Rogue,” he said as he looked back at Jackie. Jackie’s eyes widened.

“ _Rogue?_ Sorry mijo, but why would she listen to us?”

“She won’t. But she’ll listen to Johnny.”

Jackie gave V a sceptical look. “Johnny? What do you mean she’ll listen to Johnny?”

V reached into his pocket as he answered. “I got these pills from Misty...” He pulled out the two pills he had brought with him. “One of them allows Johnny to be behind the wheels for a bit. The other one brings me back.”

Jackie removed his arm from around V’s shoulder, instead putting one elbow on the small table in front of them. He looked at V with a serious look on his face.

“Is it safe?”

V wasn’t sure how to answer that question, because he honestly didn’t know what the side effects were. Apart from, well, the constant relic degradation thing.

“I don’t know,” he responded truthfully. “But I know I have to give it a shot to I can have this chip taken out of my head.”

Jackie looked at V for a long moment before he nodded slowly.

“Okay, mijo. How are we doing this?”

A wave of gratitude washed over V. He put the other pill back in his pocket. “Let’s go to the bathroom. I’ll take the pill there.”

V got out from the corner booth and Jackie followed closely behind. They headed to the bathroom, which consisted of metal sinks along the left walls, and urinals and toilet stalls to the right. V walked up to the closest sink and looked at Jackie in the mirror.

“Anything I should know?” Jackie asked. V put his hand under the tap and filled his hands with water before splashing it in his face.

“He can be a bit of an asshole,” was V’s response. “But he’s not all bad.”

Johnny flickered into vision to the right of V.

“Not really singing my praises, are you.”

V didn’t respond to that. He placed the pill in his palm and looked at Jackie.

“See you when I wake up.”

With that, he put the pill in his mouth, threw his head back, and swallowed.


	5. Chapter 5

As Jackie watched V swallow the pill, he got this feeling that this was a _really_ bad idea. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust V - because he did, with his life - it was that the whole situation was so completely fucked up. Bio chip? Engram? Construct? So much techno-babble Jackie just couldn’t wrap his head around.

Right after V swallowed the pill, V was sent into a horrible coughing fit, his knuckles going white with the force he was using to hold onto the sides of the sink.

A wave of worry washed over Jackie. He took the step needed to stand right next to V and put his hand on V’s back, smoothing it up and down in a soothing gesture.

V coughed a few more times before spitting in the sink, and then wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Hey V, you doing okay?”

V straightened and shrugged off Jackie’s hand. V was still holding onto the sides of the sink. When he turned to look at Jackie, there was something different in his eyes. Jackie took half a step backwards.

“Don’t worry big guy, he’s not dying yet.”

V’s voice was slightly deeper, his accent different, and he was speaking with a different cadence than he normally did. Slower.

“You’re Johnny?”

V straightened completely and turned towards Jackie.

“Bingo.”

V - erm, Johnny - made a sweeping gesture over V’s body. “In the flesh.” Johnny looked very amused over his joke.

Jackie hadn’t wrapped his head around how this thing would actually work, but now that it was actually happening, it was _weird_. The person standing in front of him definitely _looked_ like V, but everything else was all wrong. His posture was different, the smirk on his face was different. The whole air around him was different, and Jackie didn’t like it. There was this edge to him that V didn’t have, something dangerous where V was always a safe, calming presence.

Johnny suddenly reached out and patted Jackie’s shoulder. Jackie had to stop himself from flinching at the fast, sudden movement.

“Cheer up, you look like you’ve bitten into a lemon. Now let’s go have a fucking drink.” With that, Johnny walked past Jackie and exited the bathrooms.

Jackie stood still for a moment, trying to take it at all in. When he didn’t succeed, he just turned on his heel and followed Johnny.

When Jackie exited the bathroom, Johnny was already stalking over towards the bar. Jackie followed and sat down on the stool just to the right of Johnny, who was calling for Claire’s attention.

“Bartender!”

Claire walked over to Johnny and looked first at Johnny, then at Jackie.

“Hey you two! Haven’t seen either of you for quite a while.”

Johnny leaned forward towards Claire

“Had a lot going on lately.”

Claire nodded and gave a neutral hum.

“Right. You guys want something to drink?”

Johnny tapped the bar with his fingers.

“Tequila, beer, and top it with chili flakes.”

Claire laughed a little. “A Silverhand special! Was a long time since anyone ordered that.”

Johnny huffed a little at that, as if she had just said something unbelievable and impossible. Claire gave him a slight side eye before turning to Jackie.

“And you?”

“Calavera Feliz, muchas gracias.”

Claire nodded. “One beer and one Silverhand special, coming up.”

Jackie watched Claire as she worked. She pulled out a beer and popped the cap, putting it on the bar in front of him. Then, she mixed Johnny’s drink and placed it in front of him. Johnny immediately downed the whole thing and pointed at Claire.

“Hit me again.”

Claire mixed another. Jackie lifted the beer bottle to his lips and watched Johnny down the second drink again. Jackie drank down a few gulps before putting down the bottle on the bar again. He thumbed at the mouth of the bottle.

“So... what’s the plan?”

Johnny, who had just downed a third drink, slammed the glass down on the bar and swirled around on the stool to face Jackie. He slapped his hands down on his thighs.

“Now we go talk to her!”

Johnny suddenly stood, hooked his fingers in the belt loops of his pants and pulled them up. Then, he walked past Jackie, heading straight for Rogue’s private booth.

“Is he really..?” Claire said, sounding equal amounts of surprised and impressed.

Jackie then realised that Johnny was actually walking right up to Rogue. He scrambled to stand and hurried after Johnny.

/

V woke up to a loud banging in his head. He groaned and opened his eyes, immediately regretting his decision to do so. He moved his hand to cover his eyes, shielding them from the affronting daylight. He tried to swallow, and his mouth felt dry like sandpaper. Blinking a few times, he looked up at the dream catcher that hung over his bed. He managed to sit up, just struggling slightly. He lifted his hand to his head, pressing it towards his temple.

“Jesus fuck...”

It felt like someone was tightening a belt around his head. He looked down his body, and realised he was down to only his boxers.

What the fuck actually happened yesterday? The last thing V could remember was taking the pill in the Afterlife bathrooms.

Looking to his left in bed, he realised that Jackie was also in bed with him. Jackie was on his side, facing away from V, and V could see from the slow rise and fall of his shoulder that he was fast asleep.

“Morning slugger.” Johnny appeared in the middle of the room. “How you feeling?”

V swept his tongue over his teeth. He pulled his legs up towards him and rested his lower arms on his knees.

“I think you know what I feel like,” he grumbled.

Johnny sported a shit eating grin, showing very well that he knew how V was feeling.

"What the fuck did you do yesterday?" V asked, and Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

"That's for me to know, and you to guess."

V looked down at Jackie's sleeping form and was hit by a sudden realisation. He looked back up at Johnny.

"Did you..?" he asked and indicated towards Jackie.

Johnny's face suddenly grew serious, pressing his lips together in a thin line. "No, I didn't make a move on your input. Even less fuck him."

"He's not my-" V started protesting, cheeks heating up slightly. Johnny made a disgusted sound, interrupting V. "Eurgh, fine, whatever you are. But no. I didn't try to seduce your man. I may be an asshole sometimes, but I'm not that much of an asshole." He actually sounded a bit hurt over the fact that V had asked him.

"Just hypothetically though - would it be cheating if I fucked him using your body?" Johnny scratched his chin, a thoughtful look on his face.

V groaned.

"It's too fucking early for this shit, Johnny."

"It's 2 pm."

V glared daggers at Johnny, who put up his hands in defense. "Hey, just stating facts."

V rubbed his palms over his face in an attempt to alleviate the pounding headache.

"Did you talk to Rogue yesterday at least?"

"Yep!" Johnny appeared next to the window, looking out over the city. "She's gonna look into it, put her people on it."

"Did you have to drink her under table before she agreed to that?" V kept his face buried in his hands, only removing them to look at Johnny when he heard the rockerboy laugh.

"No one drinks Rogue under the table. Nah, what you're feeling is his fault." Johnny glitched out of existance for a second before reappearing crouched right next to Jackie. He indicated at Jackie with his chin. "That's all this choomba's doing. He knows how to have fun, that one." Johnny looked back up at V, an amused look on his face. "Told me all about how you met. Can't believe you got caught by the badges trying to jack a car.

"Oh fuck off," V said, and Johnny smirked before disappearing out of view.

V sat still for a while, debating what to do. He was hungry, and he wanted a shower. He looked at Jackie again, still fast asleep. For as long as V had known him, he had always been a heavy sleeper. V stood and carefully stepped over Jackie. Then, he headed to the bathroom and showered. The warm water felt amazing on his skin.

/

Once he had had a shower, he felt way better. There was still a small thumping at the back of his head, and he was starving. When he excited the bathroom, Jackie was awake, standing in the middle of the room looking slightly lost. He was wearing his pants, but no shirt. Even in his dehydrated state, starving state, blood surged towards V's crotch at the broad, naked expanse of skin and muscle on show.

"V?"

Jackie's voice sounded small when he said V's name, and V couldn't figure out why.

"Uhh, yeah, Jackie? What's up?"

Visible relief flashed across Jackie's face, and before V had a chance to react, Jackie had crossed the distance between them and wrapped his large, muscular arms around V. He pulled in V for a tight hug. V suddenly became acutely aware of how he still only had a towel wrapped around his waist from the shower. Jackie's skin were warm against his own, and he relaxed into the embrace.

"Happy you're back, cariño."

The tearm of endearment made V feel warm inside, and he wasn't sure what to do with it. He though about how Johnny had called Jackie V's input, and he didn't know what to do with that either. He didn't know what they were to eachother, and he realised what a ridiculous thing that was to worry about when he had all this other shit going on.

"Johnny that much of a pain?" V said, half joking, trying to lighten the mood. He didn't know what to do with his arms, so he just let them hang at his sides.

"No," Jackie said, his chest vibrating with the word. "I just prefer you." There was such raw honestly in Jackie's voice that V had trouble finding the words to respond. His stomach answered for him instead, growling loudly as if on cue. Jackie pulled away from V, letting him go, and V immediately found himself missing the closeness of Jackie's body against his.

"You hungry?" Jackie patted his own stomach. "I'm starving."

V nodded in response, not really trusting his voice to come out steady. Jackie beamed at him. "Let's go get something to eat, mijo."

**Author's Note:**

> I apparently fell into a V/Jackie-shaped hole and I can't get out.


End file.
